Woman Fired For Wearing Natural Hair In A Bun

20-year-old Akua Agyemfra has been added to the list of black woman being discriminated against for nothing more than their hair. I can’t believe this was even an issue, but would you believe that Akua was fired from a position as a server for wearing her natural tresses in a bun. Yes, a bun! *Rolls Eyes*

A manager informed Agyemfra it was company policy that female staff wear their hair down. In an effort to save her job Agyemfra took her natural hair down out of her bun in front of her manager and staff members to demonstrate how her natural hair doesn’t fall straight–how embarrassing. She was still sent home.

I know most black women at restaurants are forced to wear wigs or weaves or extensions, or are forced to straighten their hair everyday.

Don’t get me wrong, I think extensions look great. I’ve been wearing them ever since I was a little girl. I love when I get my braids. It’s the protective style I choose and works for me.

But why am I scrutinized when I decide to to take them out? That’s not fair.

I’m not going to compromise my roots and edges because my employer wants me to. My scalp has a right to breathe just as much as the woman standing beside me.

With that said, I know white women who only wear their hair up because their natural hair is too annoying to deal with.

It’s much easier for them to straighten their hair or comply with the “straight hair” rule at restaurants. Unless your hair is permed, rarely does a black women’s hair stay down when it’s straightened. It may stay laid for a few hours but that style is only temporary.

I just want equality. If a women, white or black, is more comfortable with their hair up, I don’t understand why it’s such an issue at a restaurant setting.

Kim Kardashian breaks the internet with her boxer braids cornrows but black women still lose their coins for wearing their hair naturally. I’m so over this. Talk it out with us in the comments.

Author

Jenell B Stewart MS, the founder and editor in chief of the award winning website KinkyCurlyCoilyMe.com dedicates most of her free time educating and uplifting women with natural hair by way of her extremely popular website and YouTube channel. Jenell has been featured in Essence Magazine, Black Enterprise.com, and starred on the Dr.Oz television show as a Beauty Expert. In 2012 she was named one of Essences top Instagramers and that same year KinkyCurlyCoilyMe won an award for “Favorite Website” of the Natural Hair Community.